Take-off table



Jan. 14, 1947.l A F, SHlELDs l 2,414,337

TAKE OFF TABLE 3 Shets-Shei 2 ALBERT F :f1/Ems, IN1/Ely TOR am; S/*r'lw A. F. SHELDS TAKE-OFF TABLE Jan. 14, 1947.

Filed March 6, 1945 Jan. 14, 1947, i A, sHlELDs i2,414,337

Filed March 6, 1945 y 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /J ALERT sH/gwimx/ENTOR. uw WQ@ Patented lSan. 14, 1947 TAKE-OFF TABLE Albert F. Shields, Forest Hills, N. Y., assgnor to The S & S Corrugated Paper Machinery Co.,

Inc., Brooklyn, York N. Y., a corporation of New Application March 6, 1945, Serial No. 581,315

i4 Claims. l

My present invention relates to a sheet stacker and delivery unit, more commonly known as a take-olf ta'ble, designed to cooperate with paper machinery to receive and stack cut sheets of paper, fiber board or corrugated board, and to deliver the stacks in predetermined quantities. My invention has its primary application in the manufacture of corrugated board.

In the manufacture of corrugated board, par ticularly of the double face variety, the sheets must be cut and stacked prior to handling, owing to the fact that the double face corrugated board is not flexible, The general` operation consists of passing the corrugating medium between a pair of corrugating rollers which impress on the corrugating medium the flutes which are characteristic of corrugated board, then adhesively applying one of the liners to the corrugated medium, and then adhesively applying the opposite lines on the exposed side of the corrugated medium to form the double face board.

The double face corrugated sheetl thus formed is passed over suitable drying and tempering means and then through other apparatus, such as slitting and scoring machines, and then through a cut-off mechanism which cuts off and feeds out sheets of predetermined length.

Since corrugating machines of the present time cut and feed out corrugated board at rates often averaging 250 feet per minute, and sometimes much faster, up to about 400 feet per minute, the cut sheets which may be anywhere from 30 to 180 long emerge from the cut off at a rate of about 20 sheets (for the 15 it. lengths) to 100 sheets (for the 21/2 it. lengths) per minute. The short lengths are far more common. .Accordingly, the operator iinds it very diicult to remove and stack the sheets neatly and take them quickly out of the delivery path of the following sheets.

My nove1 take-01T table is designed automatically to pile up stacks of predetermined height or number and to deliver the stack as a unit. Thus, where 30 sheets are cut and delivered at a rate of 100 a minute, a stack of predetermined height or num-ber may be delivered every minute or fraction of a minute, and all that the operator need do is make sure that the stack is loaded on the proper conveyance for removal. The operator need not stack or count the sheets nor estimate the number of sheets in the stack; nor need he handle each sheet individually, but rather handles stacks of sheets simultaneously. And the sheets are automatically removed group by group from the delivery path.

While my device is thus of real value on C01-` rugating machines having a production of the rate of 250 ft. per minute; with modern corrugators, which may be run as high as 400 it. per minute, my take-off table, aside frornobviating the many difficulties previously encountered, becomes an absolute necessity.

Accordingly, a primary object of my `invention is the provision of an automatic sheet stacking and stack delivery device.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an automatic sheet stacking and stack delivery device which will automatically deliverv stacks of predetermined number or height at regl ular intervals. e

Another object of my invention is the provision of an automatic sheet stacking and stack delivery device particularly adapted for use at the end of a continuous sheet making machine.

Often in the manufacture of corrugated board, the double face corrugated sheet is made of a suilicient width to accommodate at least two sheets, of the same` or different sizes laid side by side and sometimes four or live sheets are run out side by side. The corrugated sheet is slit longitudinally and then passed through a duplex knife consisting of separate sets of knife blades for acting on different portions of the sheet so that `diiTerent sizes and lengths of cut may be delivered. Y

Another object of my invention, therefore, is the provision of a nove1 take-oli table or sheet stacking and delivery device particularly adapted to this duplex operation comprising at least two sections which may independently cooperate with the separate duplex cutting units but which may be arranged for simultaneous coaction with either one of the duplex cutting units when an extra wide sheet is to .be cut, delivered and stacked. Y

These and many other objects of my invention willbecome apparent in the following speciiication and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view in perspectiveof my novel take off table showing the operation thereof.

Figure 2 is a schematic side View of my nove1 take-off table.

Figure 3 is a top plan View of my nove1 takeoiT table.

Referring now to the gures, the takefoif table comprises two separately operable sections l0 and Il mounted on a common base. Each section is exactly similar in construction and operation. Accordingly, the` description of` either Vsection I i, the

3 of the sections will be applicable to the other section as well. The sections I and Il have at their delivery end a common shaft I5 having a plurality of guide rolls I6, I 6, I6 for the belts I'I.

The opposite or feed end of each section has an individual belt shaft I8 for each section Io and II.

The shaft l5, while freely rotatable, is mounted in stationary bearings and is driven from any suitable source of power by the belt 2i) and pulley ZI at a constant rate.

The drive for the common shaft I5 is adjusted to the speed of the paper feed, so that the stack when completed will be delivered before the first sheet of the next stack moves into place, and so that the delivery gate will have an opportunity to open and close after one stack, is completed and before the rst sheet of the next stack moves against the gate as hereinafter described.

The duplex cutting machine 25, Figure 2, has an upperV pair of knives 26 with a belt delivery 2l and a lower pair of knives 28 with a belt delivery 2-9. Take-off table section II is shown lowered to a position where it cooperates with the delivery belt 29 of the lower knives 23. Takeoff table section Il] is shown-raised to cooperate with the delivery belt Z'Iof the upper knives 2S.

The respective shafts i3 for each of the takeoff table sections It and iI may be raised and lowered so that either section Iii or II may cooperate with either of the delivery belts 21 and 29 of the cut-off knives 26 and 28.

' Referring to the shaft I8 of Vtake-.off table shaft is rotatably mounted in a pair of bearings at (Figure l) to which are connected the racks 3 I, 3 I. A pinion shaft 32, carrying the pinions 33, 33 is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings so that the pinions 33, 33 coact with the racks SI, 3l. Rotation of shaft 32 in any suitable manner causes the pinions 33 to rotate Y from veither cut off. v

The gate mechanism indicated generally at @it of- `Figure l is mounted on a pair of rails Vdi?, i2

whicha-re pivoted at the delivery end ofthe mechanism on the stationary pivot-.'63, which is a shaft common Yto both the take-off tables i and II.r

The rails v42 42 of take-off table section II are hung Vat the feed end ofthe take-off table from rack members 43, lis which are engaged by pinions It, All on shaft 45. Shaft 45 is rotated by means of the chainfli extending between sprocket H oni shaft'if` and sprocket on shaft @5. Accordingly, when the shaft 3ilof take-off table section IfI-is raised, the rails t2, i2V which carry the gate mechanism are raised at'the feed end, and, therefore, the entire feed end of the take-off section I I israised'tocooperate with the particular delivery belt of the duplex knife. i

A slightly modied form shown inthe side. view of Figure 2 may be used in which a single vertical rack I3] holds vshaft I8 and is connected by links I34 to rai-isili); rack I3I is acted on by'a pinion |33 on the shaftit to raise shaft I-esimultaneously' with rails 42a.'

vTake-offtable sec-tion Itlfmay be operated in d the same manner from the same side of the ma; chine (Figure l) by shaft 32a carrying pinions 33a cooperating with racks Sla for the movable shaft of take-on table section Iii. Shaft 32a is connected to the upper shaft doa by chain 46a connected between sprockets lla and 48a; shaft 35a carries pinions 44a to operate racks 43a to operate the rails da of take-off table section lil.

Again referring to Figure 2, a single rack member similar to member I3! for section II may be e used for section I0 instead of the chain connecof links 65.

tion.

Shafts 2,2 and 32a of Figure 1 may, as above pointed out, be operated by a handle rotating worm 5o and 53a.V The worm and Worm gear set are used to givea high mechanical advantage inV lifting the weight of this unit and also because a worm and worm gear combination is self-locking, thus removing the need for a ratchet or some such locking means.

During the operation of the entire mechanism, including the paper makingor combining machinery and the delivery of the cut off", the shaft it continuously operated. The gate @El is in the down position. Accordingly, as the sheets 6I are fed off the delivery end of the cut-off onto the belts IZ', the first sheet 6I is fed right up to the gate to where it is held against the gate by the friction of belts Il. The delivery may be sufficiently rapid to drive succeeding sheets up against the gate. However, in order to ensure that the upper sheets above the lowest sheets in the stack will be delivered up to the gate, and to hold them down and prevent fluttering, a small feed roller S5 is supported by the gate assembly and is connected to a .pair of opposite links 66 pivotally mounted `at 61 on the cross bar 68 of the main frame which carries the gate on rails 52. A motor iii carried on the cross bar 68 has a drive pulley 'II axially aligned with the pivot 61 A drive belt or chain l2 connects pulley 'H with pulley 'I3 on the roller S5 to drive the same in a clockwise direction with respect to Figures 1 and 2. The roller 65 is sufficiently heavy to drop down of its own weight on the top of the stack.

rhe sheets 6i are fed out by the delivery belt of the cut-on mechanism up to the roller 65 and the roller continues to feed the sheet up to the gate @il where it is brought to a stop and then is only frictionally engaged by the rotating roller y et. VWhen the gate 6i] islifted, as hereinafter described, the entire stack is fed toward the left or delivery end of the take-off table as shown in connection witlir take-off'table section I@ (Figures 1,. 2 and. 3),. and is fed O the delivery end of. the

take-,off` table either onto a stationary platform, whence the stack may bev lifted, or onto a conveyer belt. Y

Y It will b e obvious that belts I'I must` accordingly move at Ia s ucient speed to allow the gate 6K1 to open, the stack 6i to move out and the gate to close once more tostop the next sheet immediatelyy before the next.v sheet can reach thegate oil. I 1

' Accordingly, for 3fgsheets, the entire operation must take place within av period of time of the order of half a second, and the. device isadjusted to operate with suflicientspeed to accomodate the shortest sheet. The gates of take-off table sections I6 and sheets.

section vI `is shown operating on rather long sheets.

previously pointed out, the gate assembly 48 comprises a fra-me having a cross bar 68 and side bars.` The cross bar 68 connects the side bars 80 at the feed side end of the gate assembly. The delivery end of the side bars Sii are connectedV by the cross shaft 82 which carries to the gate SQ. The gate 68 is keyed to the cross shaft 82 and is Vrotatable therewith. Side bars 80 are provided with blocks 4illl--l which slide onthe tracks 1?2, the tracks 42 being suitably arranged to retain the side bars.

A In one preferred form, the side bars, as indicated in'eFigure 3, have lblocks B-Qi having openings-which slidably receive the guide bars 42.` Tracks `t2 are provided with racks S5, 95 which cooperate with pinions et, 9S mounted on CTI the shaft A9'! carried between the side bars 80,

80 ofthe gate assembly di?, the said shaft 9'! being rotatable by the handle iil. Operation of this handle will adjust the position of the gate with respect to the length of the sheet which is to be taken off, the gate being moved toward the delivery end for long sheets and toward the feed end for short sheets. e

e The gate is Aoperated pneumatically by a piston 200 controlled b-y a solenoid control valve Piston 230 has an extension 292 connected at the pivot 203 to the crank 284 which is keyed to the shaft 82 to rotate the same. Movement of the piston 253i] toward the right will raise the gate 60, and movement of the piston S toward the left will lower the gate Gil.

The solenoid control valve 20! comprises a double valve comprising valve elements 2H) and 2H combined together by tie rod 2I2 for simultaneous operation.

When solenoid 2i5 is operated to move the valves toward the right, air pressure is admitted from inlet 223, to valve chamber 22|, and then through passage 222 to the cylinder 223 to operate the piston Zlio to the right to raise the gate. Air is exhausted from behind the piston through passage 225 into the valve chamber section 223 and out through passage 227. When solenoid 236 is operated to pull the valve to the left, air enters through passage 232 and valve chamber section 233, to the passage 225, to drive the piston 20D towards the left; and the air exhausts through passage 222, valve chamber section 226 and passage 221. When solenoid 235 is operated to pull the valve to the left, air enters through passage 232 and valve chamber section 233, to

the passage 225, to drive the piston 2130 towards the left; and the air exhausts through passage 221.

-The solenoids 230 and 215 are controlled by vertically adjustable switch 240 (which is preferably armicro-switch). Switch 22B is mounted on bracket--242 supported between cross bars 8D adjacent the said side of the gate 6i), and, as above pointed out, is vertically adjustable for desired stackheight. When the appropriate number of Y switvhlm whenthe. Stackreahes the pre-Set e height de-ene'rgizes solenoid 230 and energizes solenoid 2|5. Removal of the 'stack operates switch 240 once more to de-energize solenoid 2|5 and energize solenoid 230.

By this means, therefore, a positive opening and closing of the gate 55 is obtained, utilizing the solenoids to control a valve which controls air under sufficient pressure to actuate the gate with the rapidity required. A foot switch may be arranged paralleling` switch 240 to trip the gate open When waste paper comes through or to de-A liver Aa stack of less than predeterminedheight when desired.

Theswitch operator 245 isplaced up near the. feedside ofthe gate, as above pointed out, so that the solenoid 2|5 will be continuously energized until the stack 6| moves out from beneath the gate will be promptly closed. In appropriate cases, a sheet counter may be used toenergize the solenoids after` a pre-set sheet countto de liver.stacks of predetermined number'` rather than of predetermined height.

The vertical adjustability of the feed ends of my take-oif table sections Ill and ll is an impor. tant feature which increases the utility and adjustabilityof my take-off table.` The take-off table as a` Whole is mounted on rollers so that it may be moved laterally with respect to the cut-off. The take-off table sections I0 and Il.

may be utilized individually to cooperate with separate feed outs 2'1 and 29 of the duplex cutoff knife 25. When, however, an eXtra wide sheet is being cut by either of the cut-off knives 26 or 28, and the `entire width of both sections lll and H is required, then both sections Il) and H may have their feed ends adjusted to cooperate with the feed out of one of the-cutting knife assemblies, thus giving a take-off table of double the width.

Where cut-oif `knife 26 is cuttinga relatively narrow sheet and cut-olf knife 28 is cutting a relatively wide sheet, the entireV take-01T table unit may ,be moved laterally so that the dividing line between the take-offA tables willrbe adjusted to the dividing line between `the pairs of' sheets being out.

By this means, table may readily be used irrespective ofthe proportional width of the sheets being cut, and the longitudinal boundaries between the sheets being cut may be made to coincide with the longitudinal boundaries of the take-@if table sections l0 andi! simply bymovingthe take-off table unit as ,a` whole` laterally.

ByV this means, therefore, I have provided a take-ofi" `table mechanism which will stack and deliver sheets of any length and any width within the limits of the entire unit; that is, the takeoi Vtable is so designed that both sections may be used simultaneously for a single wide delivery,

and the sections maybe used independently for` separate deliveries wherein either the left side can be lower and the right side upper or vice` versa. The individual gates may bel adjusted for separate sheet lengths and for diiferent stackA heights, or theymay be adjusted for simultaneous operation. VAll of the adjustments are simple and obviousl and readily opera-tive evenby an unskilled user.

In the foregoing, I have described myinven- *tion only in connection with a specific commercially effective embodiment thereof modifications which will `be `obvious to those skilled, the, art I Prefer: tell@` bound not by my novel compound take-off` 'Since my invention is capable` of many variations and enige@ 7 A the speciiic disclosures herein but only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A take-off table for receiving sheets from the delivery end of apparatus; said take-off table comprising at least a pair of parallel sections; means for independently adjusting the height of the portion of each section adjacent said delivery end of the apparatus; said sections being simultaneously movable normal to the direction of delivery to shift the dividing line between said parallel sections With respect to the said delivery end of the apparatus; said height adjusting means being selectively operable to adjust the said portions of each section to the same height and to different heights.

'- v2. -A take-olf table forreceiving sheets from the delivery end of apparatus; said take-off table comprising at least a pair of parallel sections; means for independently adjusting the height of the portion of each section adjacent said delivery end of the apparatus; said sections being simultaneously movable normal to the direction ofdelivery to shift the dividing line between said parallel sections With respect to the said delivery end of the apparatus, the portion of each section adjacent'the delivery end being selectively operable to positions higher and lower than the other section.

V3.-A take-off table for receiving sheets from a plurality of deliveries at different levels; said take-off table having a plurality of parallel sections equal to the number of levels of delivery; each section extending along the line of delivery; the portion of each section adjacent the deliveries being selectively operable to diierent levels to cooperate with each of the deliveries.

4. A take-off table for receiving sheets from a plurality of deliveries at diilerent levels; said take-off table having a plurality of parallel sections equal to the number of levels of delivery; each section extending along the line of delivery; the portion of each section adjacent the deliveries being selectivelyoperable to different levels to cooperate with each of the deliveries; each lsuch section being operable to the levels of any of the deliveries.

5. vA take-off table for receiving sheets from a plurality of deliveries at different levels; said take-off table havinga plurality of parallel sections equal to the number of levels of delivery; each section extending along the line of delivery; the portion of each section adjacent the deliveries being selectively operable to different levels to cooperate with each of the deliveries; all of said sections being operable to cooperate simultaneously withone of said deliveries.

6. A take-off table for receiving sheets `from a plurality of deliveries at different levels; said take-off table having a plurality of parallel sections equal to the numberv of levels of delivery; each section extending along the line of delivery; the portion of each section adjacent the deliveries being selectively operable to Vdifferent levels to cooperate with each of the deliveries; said take-01T table being movable in a direction normal to that of delivery to (shift the sections laterally with respect to the deliveries.

7. A take-off table for receiving sheets from a plurality of deliveries at different levels; said take-off tablev having a plurality of parallel sections equal to the number of levels of delivery; e

each section extending along the line of delivery;

the portion of each section adjacent the deliveries being selectively operable to'different levelsto cooperate with each of the deliveries; each-.section comprising a moving belt for moving sheets substantially along the line of delivery; a gate normal to the path of movement of the belt vfor blocking the movement of sheets thereon to cause the formation of a stack of sheets and means for raising the gate to deliver a stack of sheets.

8. A take-oir table for receiving sheets from a plurality of deliveries at dilerent levels; said take-oil table having a plurality of parallel sections equal to the number of levels of delivery; each section extending along the line of delivery; the portion of each section adjacent the deliveries being selectively operable to diierent levels to cooperate With each of the deliveries; each section comprising a moving belt for'moving sheets substantially along the line of delivery; a gate normal to the path of movement of the belt for blocking the movement of Vsheets thereon to cause the formation of a stack of sheetsand means for raising the gate to deliver a stack of sheets; the position of said gate being adjustable for sheet length.

9. A take-off table for receiving sheets lfrom a plurality of deliveries at different levels; said takeoi table having a plurality of parallel sections equal to the number of levels of delivery; each section extending along the line of delivery; the portion of each section adjacent the deliveries being selectively operable to different levels to cooperate with each of the deliveries; each section comprising a moving belt for moving sheets substantially along the line of delivery; a gate normal to the path of movement of the belt for blocking the movement of sheets thereon to causel the portion of each section adjacent the deliveries being selectively operable to different levels to cooperate with each of the deliveries; each section comprising a moving belt for moving sheets substantially along the line of delivery; a gate' normal to the path of movement of the belt for blocking the movement of sheets thereon to cause the formation of a stack of sheets and means for raising the gate to deliver a stack of sheets; the position ofthe gate of each section being independently adjustable for the sheetlength received `by that section.

11. A take-oir table for receiving sheets from a plurality of deliveries at different levels; said take-oil table havingv a plurality of parallel'sections equal to the number of levels of delivery;

each section extending along the line of'delivery; y1

the portion of each section 'adjacent the deliveries being selectively operable to different levels to' cooperate with each of the deliveries; each section comprising a moving belt for moving Sheets 5 substantially along the line of delivery; a gate`V normal to the path of movementrof the Abelt'ior blocking the movement'of sheets thereon to cause the formation of a stack of sheets and means for raising the gate to deliver a stack of sheets and for maintaining the gate open until the stackhas moved beyond it.

A12. A take-off table for receiving sheets from'V a plurality of deliveries at different levels;v said take-off table having a pluralityoflparallelsections equal to the number of levels of'Vdeli-very; i

each section extending along the line of delivery; the portion of each section adjacent the deliveries being selectively operable to diierent levels to cooperate with each of the deliveries; each section comprising a moving belt for moving sheets substantially along the line of delivery; a gate normal to the part of movement of the belt for blocking the movement of sheets thereon to cause the formation of a stack o1" sheets and means for raising the gate to deliver a stack of sheets i and for maintaining the gate open until the stack has moved beyond it; means for closing the gate immediately after the stack has passed beneath it.

13. A take-off table for receiving sheets from a plurality of deliveries at different levels; said take-off table having a plurality of parallel sections equal to the number of levels of delivery; each section extending along the line of delivery; the portion of each section adjacent the deliveries being selectively operable to different levels to cooperate With each of the deliveries; each section comprising a moving belt for moving sheets substantially along the line of delivery; a gate normal to the path of movement of the belt for blocking the movement of sheets thereon to cause the formation of a stack of sheets and means for raising the gate to deliver a stack of sheets; and additional means for feeding the sheets up to the gate.

14. A take-ofi' table for receiving sheets from a plurality of deliveries at different levels; said take-off table having a plurality of parallel sections equal to the number of levelsI of delivery;

'each section extending along the line of delivery;

the portion of each section adjacent the deliveries being selectively operable to different levels to cooperate with each of the deliveries; each section comprising a moving belt for moving sheets substantially along the line of delivery; a gate normal to the path of movement of the belt for blocking the movement of sheets thereon to cause the formation of a stack of sheets and means for raising the gate to deliver a stack of sheets; and a driven roller above the belt and biased toward said belt for engaging the upper surface of the sheets of the stack and moving the sheets up to the gate.

ALBERT F. SI-IIELDS. 

